Come and Be God’s Warrior
Called to be Warriors for Christ
Called to Suit up for Battle
Called to wear our Armor always
It is gratitude that prompted an old man to visit an old broken pier on the eastern seacoast of Florida. Every Friday night, until his death in 1973, he would return, walking slowly and slightly stooped with a large bucket of shrimp. The sea gulls would flock to this old man, and he would feed them from his bucket. Many years before, in October, 1942, Captain Eddie Rickenbacker was on a mission in a B-17 to deliver an important message to General Douglas MacArthur in New Guinea. But there was an unexpected detour which would hurl Captain Eddie into the most harrowing adventure of his life.
Somewhere over the South Pacific the Flying Fortress became lost beyond the reach of radio. Fuel ran dangerously low, so the men ditched their plane in the ocean. For nearly a month Captain Eddie and his companions would fight the water, and the weather, and the scorching sun. They spent many sleepless nights recoiling as giant sharks rammed their rafts. The largest raft was nine by five. The biggest shark...ten feet long. But of all their enemies at sea, one proved most formidable: starvation. Eight days out, their rations were long gone or destroyed by the salt water. It would take a miracle to sustain them. And a miracle occurred.
In Captain Eddie’s own words, "Cherry," that was the B- 17 pilot, Captain William Cherry, "read the service that afternoon, and we finished with a prayer for deliverance and a hymn of praise. There was some talk, but it tapered off in the oppressive heat. With my hat pulled down over my eyes to keep out some of the glare, I dozed off."
Now this is still Captian Rickenbacker talking..."Something landed on my head. I knew that it was a sea gull. I don’t know how I knew, I just knew. Everyone else knew too. No one said a word, but peering out from under my hat brim without moving my head, I could see the expression on their faces. They were staring at that gull. The gull meant food...if I could catch it."
And the rest, as they say, is history. Captain Eddie caught the gull. Its flesh was eaten. Its intestines were used for bait to catch fish. The survivors were sustained and their hopes renewed because a lone sea gull, uncharacteristically hundreds of miles from land, offered itself as a sacrifice. You know that Captain Eddie made it.
And now you also know...that he never forgot. Because every Friday evening, about sunset...on a lonely stretch along the eastern Florida seacoast...you could see an old man walking...white-haired, bushy-eyebrowed, slightly bent. His bucket filled with shrimp was to feed the gulls...to remember that one which, on a day long past, gave itself without a struggle...like manna in the wilderness. "The Old Man and the Gulls" from Paul Harvey’s The Rest of the Story by Paul Aurandt, 1977, quoted in Heaven Bound Living, Knofel Stanton, Standard, 1989, pp. 79-80.
We pause a moment to remember those who have given fully for the cause of our country today and those who have placed their lives on the line for each of us.
We know of another who gave His life a ransom for sin…let’s see what kind of warrior Jesus calls us to be.
Called to be Warriors for Christ
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. [11] Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. Ephes. 6:10-11 (NIV)
Many have given their lives for many worthy causes, God calls us to give our lives to His eternal cause, will you come…
As a Christian you are being enlisted to do the following…
be strong…but how?
in the Lord’s power
in the Lord’s might
We are called to be strong in the sovereign unlimited power of the Lord—in the power of His might—in His ability to use His power exactly as it should be used.
We are called to be strong in the Lord, in the power of His might and to “Put on the whole armour of God”.
“For with God nothing shall be impossible” (Luke 1:37).
“That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man” (Ephes. 3:16).
“Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us” (Ephes. 3:20).
“Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness” (Col. 1:11).
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Tim. 1:7).
God is calling you to be a warrior for Him today, have you answered His Call?
Called to Suit up for Battle
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. [13] Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Ephes. 6:12-13 (NIV)
Do you realize you are in the midst of a war today?
Just because the enemy we fight against cannot be seen with human eyes does not mean that the casualties he inflicts are any less real does it?
Paul says we pale, pal’-ay; a Greek word for wrestling or to wrestle…
· against principalities
· against power
· against the rulers of darkness
· against spiritual wickedness
As a warrior for Christ know that the forces of darkness are powerful and destructive…
Yet keep this in mind warrior…
Satan and his demonic forces “rank among the highest angel-princes in the hierarchy of the heavenly places, yet all of them owe their existence to Christ, through whom they were created [Col. 1:16], and who is accordingly the head of all principality and power’ [Col. 2:10]. But some at least of the principalities and powers have embarked upon rebellion against God and not only seek to force men to pay them the worship that is due to Him, but launched an assault upon the crucified Christ at a time when they thought they had Him at their mercy. But He, far from suffering their assault without resistance, grappled with them and overcame them, stripping them of their armour and driving them before Him in His triumphal procession [Col. 2:15]. Thus the hostile powers of evil which Christians must encounter are already vanquished powers, but it is only through faith-union with the victorious Christ that Christians can make His triumph theirs” (The Epistle to the Ephesians, p.127f).
Take heart “we can do all things through Christ…
So we suit up, put on our armor, as Christ directs.
We put on the armor because of the evil day.
It refers to today—“the days are evil” (Ephes. 5:16).
It refers to any day—the temptations and trials that confront us each day.
It refers to days of unusual temptation and trial—days that will come.
How do we withstand the day of evil?
“The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness and let us put on the armour of light” (Rom. 13:12).
“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds” (2 Cor. 10:4).
“Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses” (1 Tim. 6:12).
We can only withstand in the armor of God.
Called to wear our Armor always
Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, [15] and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. [16] In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. [17] Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephes. 6:14-17 (NIV)
The belt of truth, used to hold the clothing next to his body and kept clothing from flapping about, allowing for freedom of movement. The belt also strengthened and supported the body. The sign of the Christian soldier is the belt of truth...
“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).
“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth” (John 17:17).
“That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word” (Ephes. 5:26).
The breastplate of righteousness, covered the body from the neck to the thighs, used to protect the heart.
Our heart should be focused upon the Lord Jesus Christ and His righteousness, and that focus must be protected.
“Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame” (1 Cor. 15:34).
“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Cor. 5:21).
“Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God” (Phil. 1:11).
The sandals of the gospel, a sign of readiness—readiness to march and to do battle.
“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world” (Matthew 28:19-20).
“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15).
“But ye shall receive power, after the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
The shield of faith in God, not the small round shield which you have seen on TV but the great oblong shield worn by the soldier to protect his body from the fiery darts thrown by the enemy.
The darts were dipped in pitch or some other combustible material and set afire. When they struck, they served the purpose of small incendiary bombs.
“But thou, O lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. I cried unto the lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill” (Psalm 3:3-4).
“Our soul waiteth for the lord: he is our help and our shield” (Psalm 33:20).
“Behold, O God our shield, and look upon the face of thine anointed” (Psalm 84:9).
The helmet of salvation, covered the head and mind of the soldier and was the core of a soldier’s power to wage war.
Our thinking is of great importance in determining our victory or defeat.
“For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace” (Romans 8:6).
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:2).
“Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5).
The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God, it is used for both defense and offense.
The sword was used to protect and to fight off and slay the enemy.
The written Word is the one weapon that assures victory for the Christian soldier, for the “Word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword.”
“For the word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).
“And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword [God’s Word]: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength” (Rev. 1:16).
“And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges....repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth” (Rev. 2:12, 16).
Today we remember those who have given their lives in defense of our country and way of life.
I pray that you will take your call to be a “Warrior for Christ” as seriously and remember that whether you take it seriously or not, the battle continues to rage.
If you have never enlisted as a “Warrior for Christ” you can do so today, right here and right now, please let one of us know and we will pray with you today.
